TURKISH PRESS REVIEW ON JUNE 27

Turkish daily newspapers covered in their Wednesday editions Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's remarks over downing of a Turkish military plane by Syria, a NATO meeting in Brussels held after Turkey's request over the downed plane, a natural gas pipeline agreement between Turkey and Azerbaijan, and Turkish government's plans to abolish courts with special authorities.

"Syria now an informal enemy," daily MILLIYET said over Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's remarks on the downing of the Turkish military plane. "The rules of engagement of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) have been revised. Every military element approaching towards Turkish border from Syria that may pose a security risk and danger will be considered a threat and will be responded as a military target," the daily quoted Erdogan as telling his AK Party lawmakers at a meeting at parliament. The daily said Erdogan stressed that Turkey would never tolerate or leave unanswered any security risks made up by the Syrian regime along the Turkish-Syrian border.

"Full support from NATO," daily VATAN headlined over a meeting of NATO members on Tuesday which was called on by Turkey under Article 4 of the founding treaty of the alliance for consultations on the downed Turkish plane. The daily said the meeting condemned Syria "in the strongest terms," adding that NATO said the attack was unacceptable.

Daily ZAMAN said Turkey and Azerbaijan signed a $7-billion agreement to construct the Trans Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline which would transport gas from Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz-II field via Georgia to Turkey and on to Europe. The daily said when completed in 2020, the pipeline would carry 16 billion cubic meters of gas annually and Turkey will buy 6 million cubic meters of it as the rest would be transported to Europe via Bulgaria and/or Greece. The daily said Azerbaijan's state oil company SOCAR will hold an 80-percent stake, and two Turkish state-owned companies Petroleum Pipeline Corporation, (BOTAS) and Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) will have 10-percent stakes each.

Daily HURRIYET said Turkish government planned to present a draft law to abolish Turkey's courts with special authorities and to replace them with terrorism courts.

AA

Legal Notice: Copyright, trade marks and other intellectual property rights in this website can not be reproduced without the prior permission.